1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grinding tool, more particularly one, which is made for use in an upright position according to ergonomics principles so as to be relatively easy to take hold of, convenient and easy to use, and capable of grinding the contents thereof more smoothly.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 10, a prior grinding tool was disclosed on a patent application, “PEPPER GRINDING TOOL WITH A SIDEWAYS LEVER OPERATED WITH ONE HAND” with application Ser. No. 09/948,911, with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the inventor of the present invention.
The grinding tool includes a housing, a lever, a one-way member, and a grinding assembly.
The housing includes an upper housing part 3 and a lower housing part 4 joined to the upper housing part 3; the upper and the lower housing parts 3 and 4 each has a first portion, and a second elongated portion projecting sideways from the first portion; the second elongated portions of the housing parts form a lateral opening between them.
The lever 5 has teeth 51 on a front end, and is pivoted to the housing at an intermediate portion thereof with the teeth 51 facing the first portions of the upper and the lower housing parts 3 and 4, and with a rear portion thereof being biased outwardly of the lateral opening of the housing by a first spring 52 connected to both the lever 5 and one of the second portions of the housing parts 3 and 4.
The one-way member 6 is received in angularly displaceable manner in the first portions of the housing. The one-way member 6 has a round main body 61 having teeth on an outer side abutting the teeth 51 of the lever 5. The main body 61 is connected in selectively engaged manner to a tube 62; the main body 61 will be engaged with the tube 62 for angular displacement therewith in a first direction responsive to the lever 5 being pushed inwardly of the second portions of the housing parts 3 and 4; the main body 61 will be disengaged from the tube 62 for angular displacement relative thereto in a second direction opposing the first direction responsive to the lever 5 being reversibly displaced from the pushed position by means of the spring 52.
The grinding assembly includes an outer grinding element 71 secured in the first portion of the lower housing part 4, and an inner grinding element 72 received in angularly displaceable manner in the outer grinding element 71. The inner grinding element 72 is connected to a lower end of the tube 62 so as to turn relative to the outer grinding element 71 when the elongated portion of the housing is held in a laid down horizontal position with one hand, and the lever 5 is pushed inwardly of the second portion of the housing and released repeatedly.
The grinding tool is found to have disadvantages as followings:    1. Because the grinding tool can only be put away in a laid down position, the outer end of the elongated portion of the housing is prone to be undesirably made to touch the table when the grinding tool is put on the table. Consequently, it is not convenient for the user to take hold of the grinding tool from the laid down position.    2. The user is likely to have a sore wrist after having been operating the grinding tool for extended period of time because he has to operate the tool while holding it in a laid down position.    3. Pepper corns contained in the housing have to pass through the one-way member before they pass into the grinding assembly, and in turns, working of the one-way member will be made less smooth by the pepper corns.